The present invention relates to a female terminal having a flexible contact piece at a terminal connecting part.
FIGS. 1 through 3 of the attached drawings show a conventional female-type terminal 1 which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 45-7274. In FIGS. 1 through 3, the female-type terminal 1 comprises a terminal body 7 in which a tubular terminal connecting part 3 having both open end faces and a wiring connecting part 5 are formed integrally, and a flexible contact piece 9 which is a separate part and which is fitted in the terminal connecting part 3 such that an arcuate top 9a formed in a bow-like configuration is in contact with a step 3a of the connecting part 3.
When a forward end of a male-type terminal 11 is inserted into the terminal connecting part 3 from and through an opening in the end face of the terminal connecting part 3, the forward end of the male-type terminal 11 is abutted against the flexible contact piece 9 which is provided on an inserting path of the male-type terminal 11. When the male-type terminal 11 is pressed into a deep end of the terminal connecting part 7 against the urging or biasing force of the flexible contact piece 9, the latter is flexed. By a restoring force of the flexible contact piece 9, the male-type terminal 11 is pressed. Thus, the male-type terminal 11 is so retained as to be urged against an inner wall of the terminal connecting part 3 by the flexible contact piece 9 so that the male-type terminal 11 is electrically connected to the terminal connecting part 3.
However, the female-type terminal 1 has the following problems. That is, since the flexible contact piece 9 is mounted on the terminal connecting part 3 under a condition that the arcuate top 9a of the flexible contact piece 9 is in contact with the step 3a of the terminal connecting part 3 as shown in FIG. 2, when the male-type terminal 11 is inserted into the terminal connecting part 3, it is necessary to flex the flexible contact piece 9 immediately after the insertion. For this reason, an inserting force immediately after the male-type terminal 11 has been inserted into the terminal connecting part 3 is high. It is difficult to insert the male-type terminal 11 into the terminal connecting part 3 of the female-type terminal 1. Thus, it is impossible to cope with multiple electrodes of a connector which requires a plurality of female terminals.